104 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AXD COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ (5, 1800, 
develope foliawe which is less subject to the attacks of insects than 
is that of underfed trees. Another peculiarity of the foliage is its 
staying capacity. The absence of insect pests has of course a 
l)earing on this point, but that does not quite explain the fact of 
the foliage continuing of a deep green until the end of the season 
without passing a brownish green stage before change of colour and 
final detachment. 
The bearing such foliage has on the next year’s crop can only 
be beneficial, resulting, as it does, in full buds and on a longer 
continued storage of sap. The amount of feeding required by fruit 
trees is greater than is, perhaps, generally admitted, for the further 
reason that the crop they bear is of the most exhausting nature. 
Flowers are an exhausting crop, but they are a comparatively 
small aifair when considered alongside the production not only of 
flowers but of fruit and seeds ; and if we examine the period when 
food is of the utmost importance to fruit trees we find it is between 
the period of the fruit setting and the cessation of growth ; and 
further, that the food required is very much of a mineral nature, 
or at least a nature which sends us to mineral agents for a supply. 
During the season of rest, though it is not exactly known what is 
going on in the plant economy, it is certain some change takes 
place, and that towards the development of flowers. But one 
thing we do know, and that is that the quantity of sap taken up by 
the roots is of the slightest, and that at this stage manures are of 
no use. We know, further, that the application of manures 
during the season of rest to plants which have been starved has no 
effect on the quantity or quality of the flowers which follow in 
due course. So that we arrive at this point, that the time the 
tree requires food to forward the fruit begins about the flowering 
stage, and that simultaneously the food required for the next 
season’s young foliage, early growth, and flowers must also be applied 
and continued as long as necessary. 
The old-fashioned practice of manuring only at the winter 
season will be seen to have been erroneous in principle, and the 
result necessarily was that the best managed Vines, except in cases 
where the soil was naturally fertile, gave up after a few years’ 
regular cropping, and older Vines simply took a rest every second 
year, unless the crops were kept very small indeed. It is now well 
understood that potash is a very essential element in all fruit 
manure, and along with phosphoric acid is the chief ingredient in 
the ash of all parts of the plant, but particularly of the flowers 
and seeds. At the same time it is to be remembered that the ash 
of plants amounts to very seldom more than 3 per cent, of the 
organic portions, and most often less than that, so that the amount 
required is really very small. But in practice it is necessary to 
apply more than the bare amount required to supply these small 
wants. And the phosphatic element has so important a bearing 
on the general health of the plant on account of the action which 
phosphates exert on the formation of roots, that we may apply 
these in good quantities without giving too much. Then, as 
potassic manures are only slowly soluble, it is important to let them 
lie in the soil for a good while before the plants require them. On 
that account a sprinkling of potassium chloride should be applied 
to borders during winter, and at the same time a small supply of 
lime, preferably in the form of lime water, should also be applied, 
and also about a quarter of a pound to the square yard of super¬ 
phosphate, or double that quantity of slag phosphate, w’hich is a 
slower acting agent than the other. If the border has been sup¬ 
plied with 14 inch of water before the application of these, and a 
slight sprinkling of soil afterwards with a dressing of cow manure 
above all, no more water will be required for several weeks, or 
most likely until root action begins, when another application of 
water will bring the phosphates into action. Thereafter, a dressing 
of superphosphate three parts and sulphate of ammonia one part, 
applied directly after each watering, enough to “ pepper ” the soil, 
will do wonders, especially in the case of aged Vines. Rather less 
may be given to Peaches. Plants stop extracting food in any 
quantity from the soil when the seed approaches its final stage of 
development, consequently when the fruit begins to colour feeding 
may be stopped. Abundance of water is absolutely essential, other¬ 
wise mischief will follow. 
Dealing now with pot plants, we have to consider that foliage 
in many cases is all that is required of the plant, and in most others 
flowers. The plant is often short-lived, and the soil in which it is 
grown is increased as a rule according to the exigencies of the 
plant. For such plants no potassic manure is required, but super- 
phosphatic is most important, and should always be employed as a 
surface dressing. Its action is greatly stimulated by an occasional 
dressing of a nitrate. But it is one of the greatest fallacies in plant 
culture to depend on a nitrogenous agent solely, as growers of 
Chrysanthemums have been doing. More than is absolutely neces¬ 
sary of either lime, potash, or phosphates has no evil effect on plants. 
What they do not use does no harm; but an excess of the nitro¬ 
genous agent is injurious. Manures should be applied after 
watering, and the superphosphate should be sprinkled evenly over 
the surface of the soil, so that the roots may find it the more^ 
easily. They should be applied regularly from the beginning of 
the young plant’s existence, leaving off at times of repotting until 
fresh roots are formed. They have a good effect in colouring- 
Crotons and other plants, and in giving quality and colour to- 
flowers —B. 
(To be continued.) 
CARNATION SOUVENIR DE LA MALMAISON. 
Carxation.s have become exceedingly popular during the past 
two seasons, and they have now to be grown in quantity where- 
previously a few specimens were equal to the demand. No doubt 
they will also find their way into most gardens where choice 
flowers are appreciated, but where at present their owners are as- 
yet unacquainted with these, the aristocrats of the Carnation 
family. I well remember the first time I saw a plant of the 
Souvenir de la Malmaison. It must be a quarter of a century ago^ 
when making a little tour among gardens in early summer, I found 
in one of those visited a large plant trained to a balloon-shaped 
trellis with shoots and flowers tied down in the old-fashioned style.. 
That plant is the one thing I remember distinctly of all the others 
in the conservatory, and ever since I have had a liking for Malmai- 
sons above most other flowers. My cultural experience has been 
much the fame as that of most people—some failures, until the right 
track has been struck, and thereafter the road has been compara¬ 
tively smooth and easy. I shall here indicate some of the points, 
which render Malmaison culture uncertain. The initial one to 
beginners is that of securing a strong healthy stock to start with.. 
I have had plants through my hands on several occasions which no 
amount of attention could induce to live. Close-jointed growth 
with foliage to the soil and plenty of roots in the latter is needed 
to make a start with. 
A pest which inexperienced growers often allow to work 
irremediable mischief before noticing anything wrong is found in a 
wingless aphis. This insect feeds, out of sight at first, on the- 
young foliage, and if allowed to go on without check it simply 
necessitates either the cutting back of all the growth infested, so 
destroying the season’s bloom, or it may even destroy plants other¬ 
wise not in the best of health. The only certain method of escape 
is to dust the young growing points with tobacco powder, repeat¬ 
ing the application at regular intei vals. Many plants are destroyed 
by a rust or fungoid growth which attacks the foliage. "Whenever 
a collection is attacked the greatest watchfulness is necessary and 
every bit of affected leaf must be destroyed. This is a very 
common means of failure with Malmaisons. I should be very glad 
to hear of some simple and efficient method of clearing unhealthy 
stock of this virulent parasite. 
As the last point to be noted in order to keep a healthy stock, I 
think it is a mistaken policy to grow other than young plants. If 
large plants are wanted they ought to be grown on without allow¬ 
ing them to flower until they have reached the size de.sired ; and,, 
though these should be three or four years of age, all the growth 
will be short with broad healthy foliage, and to all intents as young- 
and strong as one-year-old plants. Those allowed to flower as they 
like become tall, the bare old stems unhealthy and unfitted to- 
continue producing good blooms, and not uncommonly die right 
back. Aphis, rust, and old plants are, I think, most inimical to- 
success, but in common with other Carnations they do not like 
a close warm atmosphere. Far better grow them in a cold frame- 
than stifle them as is too often the case. 
In direct cultural details there is nothing difficult to master.. 
Propagation is effected either by means of cuttings or layers. The 
most common time to increase by the former method is in autumn,, 
keeping the cuttings in a cool house through the winter, and potting 
in spring when well rooted. They also strike freely during summer- 
if dibbled into a light soil in a perfectly shaded position, and pro¬ 
tected with a bellglass until rooted. Layering may be effected at 
any season, but from February until the end of August the rooting 
process is much more rapid than at other times. Roots are formed 
in from ten days to a fortnight under the most favourable con¬ 
ditions, and as soon as a few roots are made the junction between 
the old plant and the layer should be severed. The shoots may 
either be layered into thumb pots, or into a thin bed of light open 
soil. In the latter case there is less risk of the young plants suffer¬ 
ing from any neglect ; though, with due attention, the pot layers- 
are ready first. If growers have a sufficient stock to keep a fe-w 
good plants to bloom throughout winter, these will be in good con¬ 
dition to layer now (the beginning of February). The way we do 
these is to sink the pots in the border of a late Peach house, then 
spread a layer, 2 inches thick, of leaf soil and sand on the surface of 
the border, laying the young growths therein. If al-ways kept moist 
